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Rock Tribe
The Rock Tribe was one of the eight Tribes of Spherus Magna prior to its collapse. History Early History The Rock Tribe is believed to have originated from the mountainous regions of the Great Jungle, the warrior-caste primarily composed of Skrall. A group of Rock Agori would splinter off from the main Tribe, eventually evolving into the Bone Hunters. Though they had the occasional territorial dispute with the Iron Tribe, the two lived in relative peace and were willing to trade with one another. Like the other Tribes, they would eventually elect the Great Beings as scientist-kings of the planet after the group brought about technological and medical advancements (though in the Rock tribe's case, it was done so with reluctance). Around 103,000 years ago, the Iron Tribe was struck by what appeared to be a Dreaming Plague. Fearing the risk of infection, the other Tribes shunned the Iron Tribe. Surviving members of the "infection" attempted to infiltrate the other Tribes, though none were deceived by the change in their armors' colors. After thousands of years, the Great Beings grew tired of their roles as governors. The political pressure, combined with the shrinking schedules for their hobbies in experimentation, became too much for them and they sought more willing leaders. Concluding that a "living symbol of the Elements" would sate the public's hunger for leadership and boost morale, they began seeking out candidates for this experiment. A member of the Leader-class Skrall- noted for his militaristic intuition and ambition- was among those selected for the process. Transformed into a being of stone and dust, he became one of the first natives of Spherus Magna to possess Elemental Powers of his own. He and his fellow warriors were dubbed "Element Lords" by the Great Beings and he was granted lordship over the Rock Tribe. When two Agori of the Ice Tribe discovered a gleaming silver spring with seemingly mystical powers, the Element Lords (sans the representative of the Earth Tribe) held a meeting to discuss the usage and distribution of the substance. To their surprise, the monarch of the Ice Tribe declared it his property and his alone. Enraged, the other Element Lords gathered their warriors and waged war over what was called "the ultimate power". The Core War While the Skrall possessed superior strength, they were not known for being scientists. At best they could produce medicine and non-motorized chariots. Many attempts to reverse-engineer technology from other tribes have been made, but they encountered a variety of problems. Many of the vehicles they collected were not designed for the varying physical forms they possessed. Another issue was that many of the warriors considered it cowardly to use them. Finally, many of the resources needed to build them were simply not present in their homelands. Dispute this, they managed to develop rotating saw-shields and the Baranus. While primarily designed to transport cargo to and from the front lines. One Skrall proposed that they could be modified for combat. Couriers would use Sand Stalkers as steeds for deliveries, while soldiers rode with Spikits into the conflict. The Rock Tribe often found themselves in combat with the Jungle Tribe. Stronius rose to prominence during this period, noted for his tactical skills and strength. He was among a group of Skrall that participated in a battle at Lein's Drift. The Rock Tribe was also known to have partaken in the Battle of Iron Canyon. Another rival Tribe was the one of Fire. Both would attempt to enter Ice Tribe territory and often ran into each other. It was not uncommon for the natives of the Northern Frost to exploit this, waiting until both invading armies were weakened to drive them both out. The Element Lord of Rock organized raids on Fire Tribe outposts to disrupt their advancements, managing to conquer some of their territory. His rival of Fire retaliated with one of his own to reclaim the outposts. and Tervok clashing in the Core War.]] One skirmish between occurred between them and a platoon led by Certavus. On route to their journey to their homeland, a group of Skrall ambushed them in the dunes of the Great Barren. Hoping to interrogate them, this platoon of Skrall engaged in combat with him. During the chaos, a loose alliance between Tarix and Vastus's squads attempted to gain access to a series of tunnels in the Northern Frost. Knowing how vulnerable the Spring was at the time, Certavus improvised a plan involving the local fauna. Splattering the Skrall with some fruits and berries, the wildlife descended on them while the Ice Tribe troops escaped. Furious and humiliated by this defeat, the commander of the squad reported the incident to his superior Tuma. Rather than execute him for his failures, the Leader-class Skrall allowed him to live and serve another day. The reason behind this was that he had taken a particular interest in the Ice Tribe commander. He admired the man's strategies and wished to uncover the secrets behind them. With the blessing of the Element Lord of Rock, Tuma formed a network of spies devoted to gathering intelligence on enemy commanders. Near the end of the Core War, the Element Lord of Rock heard whispers of a second Energized Protodermis Spring. These rumors- leaked by the Earth Tribe - convinced him to send a platoon to investigate. Days passed and he heard nothing from them. Scouts were sent to investigate the silence, yet they too vanished. One returned to him with news of walls being built around the Great Volcano. Curious, The Element Lord had a squadron of Skrall accompany him on a journey to the volcano. Meanwhile, Stronius would lead a platoon of again the Ice Tribe in the hopes of claiming the first spring. While the two groups were fighting, the Fire Tribe slipped in and took control of the Spring. They began harvesting the substance, leading to a chain reaction with it. Spherus Magna was split into three fragments, with the majority of the Tribe being stranded on the largest one. Those that remained within their homeland were stuck on the one that formed from the Great Jungle. The Element Lord of Rock and his bodyguards disappeared during the chaos, and were presumed to have perished. Post-Shattering With the majority of the Rock Tribe cut off from their original territory, they set out to conquer new lands to call home. They claimed the northern region of the Black Spike Mountains and settled there. Though the environment was cold and unforgiving, the Tribe enduring its snowstorms for thousands of years. A hundred millennia later, however, they were besieged by an unnatural enemy. When a party of Skrall ventured off to scout the surrounding area, they encountered a mysterious group of assassins. All but two were killed, and the leader of the group was granted the name Brandar for his survival. Brandar's patrol would only be the first in a series of ambushes. The entities that attacked his group noticed that the other outposts held a great number of soldiers. Per their programming, they slaughtered anyone holding a weapon. By the time Tuma's stronghold learned of these attacks, he only Leader-class left on Bara Magna. With the survivors of the other outposts taking shelter in his, he led his legion against the beings in a personal war against these enemies. Survivors of one ambush witnessed the beings' shapeshifting abilities and lived to report it. Another group- led by Stronius- managed to "slay" one of the horrors and uncovered their mechanical nature. This particular encounter was what led to the Skrall christening them "Baterra"; "silent death". As he battles raged on and the death toll rose, the leader-class population faced a repaid decline. Near the end of the siege, only Tuma remained. In response, he barricaded his fortress and enforced heavy rations on the Tribe. Most troops he sent to gather resources and supplies never returned. That changed when one managed to return with sleighs of firewood. When a soldier mentioned how they encountered no resistance, however, Tuma instantly realized the truth. The firewood was in fact a group of Battera and his soldiers unwittingly opened the doors for them. The machines flooded the fortress and began slaughtering the residents. in the chaos, Tuma ordered his men to set their home ablaze, using the chaos to escape into the wilderness. The survivors made an exodus to the south, arriving upon the ruins of Roxtus. The females of the Skrall population were abandoned during the journey, due to wariness of their mental powers. While settling within the region, Tuma learned of an Arena system developed by the other Tribes and began studying it. Entering the Arena System , a notable sniper and guard stationed at Roxtus.]] After weeks of observation, Tuma believed that he found some weaknesses in the social system. In order to exploit its flaws, he forced the Rock Tribe to enter it and compete for resources. Their greater physical strength allowed them to dominate the system, winning nearly every match. Everything they won was used to fuel their eventual siege and prepare for another war with the Battera. Their victories also had the benefit of denying vital resources for the other Tribes and weakening their economy. They also began abducting other beings during this time. Agori, Glatorian, and Vorox were often imprisoned within their dungeons. They'd typically be used as target practice, as food for their beasts, or bait to track migration patterns of the Baterra. Tuma would also organize search parties for artifacts and tomes relating to the other Tribes. His hope was to find information on their tactics and territories, with the Book of Certavus being one of the most coveted ones. Parties that failed their assignments were often forced to feet the Spikit (and more often than not became their prey). At some point during this time, Metus approached Atakus for an alliance with the Skrall. He sensed what was to come and asked to be on what he believed to be the winning side. Tuma arranged for him to trade intelligence with Atakus as a means of testing his word and loyalty. The Skrall passed the information to Bone Hunters and watched them conduct successful raids on Water Tribe caravans. Metus had won their trust and became their informant. A patrol of Skrall - carrying a copy of the Bone Hunters' plans for raiding Vulcanus- was ambushed by a group of Vorox during this time period, and were surprised to learn that they were being led by the ex-Glatorian Malum. The group eventually defeated and captured him, dragging him back to Roxtus. The Skrall were intrigued by his ability to command the subspecies and were interrogating him over it. Malum was brought into their city's arena to test and replicate his methods, and he managed to soothe some Vorox. One warrior attempted the same feat, but it backfired on him and turned the Sand tribals against his company. Malum and the rest of the pack would use the opportunity to escape. This would later lead to a number of conflicts between the Skrall and his pack. The Rock Tribe also had a small clash with a caravan carrying Exsidian. Stronius was leading a patrol at the Black Spike Mountains when they encountered Strakk, claiming to be the survivor of an accident. The Glatorian mentioned the Exsidian ingots at the bottom of river and requested aid from them. A soldier was sent back to Tuma to relay his message and ask for approval. Tuma agreed, though he also ordered that the group dispose of him once the ingots were retrieved. A new caravan was sent to the river to collect the metals, and the men were able to retrieve the ingots. Strakk managed to betray them first, however, when his associates ambushed them and ran off with the wagon. The Skrall gave chase and caught up to them, running into Malum's pack yet again. Ackar managed to pin the two Tribes against each other by claiming to hold an alliance with the Sand Tribe. Raanu would send an envoy requesting aid against an impending attack on Vulcanus. Though Atakus initially laughed at the Agori's efforts, he suggest (out of jester, of course) that they'd purchase a Skrall's seal. To his surprise, the Agori managed to muster up the resources for the bargain. The guard pointed him towards an unnamed Skrall, who refused to accept the seal unless an upfront payment was included. The Agori once again gathered enough materials for the bribe, and the Skrall pledged to protect Vulcanus from the Bone Hunters. This warrior also provided intelligence on their plans to him, though contact between them would end when the actual assault began. As of the present day, attempts to identify this Skrall and determine his fate have failed. The Skrall War Months later, Branar returned from a scouting party with news of the Baterra. Growing increasingly worried about their movements, Tuma accelerated his plans and mustered up all of the soldier-class into a legion. They attacked the Atero during the Great Tournament and lay waste to the city. Though the Glatorian and Agori attempted to resist, many fell to the legion and the Rock Tribe emerged victorious. Thus the Skrall War began. Meanwhile, Tuma and Stronius traveled north to their former homelands in the hopes of forming an alliance with the Sisters of the Skrall. Though the group was initially hostile towards them, Tuma managed to strike a deal with them. In exchange for the potential location of Angonce in exchange for their freedom and the destruction of Baterra should the females encounter them. Their leader agreed and allow the two warriors to leave. On their way back to Roxtus, however, they were ambushed by the shapeshifting automatons and Tuma was rendered unconscious after one backstabbed him. He awoke to find that Metus had disarmed both Skrall and ordered the Baterra to leave. To their astonishment, they did, and Metus told them of his first encounter with them, how he realized that they only attacked armed beings. He would also attempt to blackmail them into making him Tuma's heir for leadership of the Rock Tribe. Tuma refused until the Agori entertained the notion that his downfall would never come any. Though the bargain had been struck, Tuma gave Stronius a simple order; kill Metus if something were to happen to the Skrall leader. Tuma would later orchestrate the Bone Hunter's raid on Vulcanus by giving them a map of the village. He anticipated that the Glatorian would it as well and allowed events to unfold. The Skrall leader saw his Tribe as benefitting from either outcome; The Bone Hunters lose some of their warriors or the Fire Tribe loses their village. The former scenario would be the outcome of the battle. Not long after the arrival of a meteor, Metus would forge an alliance between the Rock Tribe and Bone Hunters at the Sandray Canyon. He had them attack Tajun while its main protector was away at an arena match and raze the village to the ground. Metus later summoned Tuma to inspect the ruins, showing him the strength in the rival tribes' unity. Tuma saw potential in their alliance and gathered both groups at Roxtus to give a speech. It would be interrupted by the arrival of a stranger, challenging Tuma to a duel. The Skrall Leader accepted the challenge and initially had the upper-hand. It was while gloating to his people that the stranger noticed the back wound Tuma had neglected to treat. He'd use this information to defeat him and claim his shield as a trophy. Metus would reveal himself afterward, over, and assume leadership of the Skrall. Before he could unleash his united army upon the outsider, however, a giant hulking monster appeared just outside the arena. The Skrall mistook it for a Baterra and panicked, scattering to the winds. By the time they had reunited their forces, Metus had already been defeated, and they quickly discovered that some of the Glatorian had been granted Elemental Powers. This gave them a huge advantage over the Skrall, and they eventually drove the Rock Tribe out of Roxtus. Dissolution Tuma would later be exiled for his failure at the stranger's hands, and the alliance with the Bone Hunters called off. Without Tuma's leadership, though, the Rock Tribe itself would splinter into several cells. Some settle in the Black Spike Mountains, others remained in the Great Barren. Weeks later, Mata Nui would have Roxtus pulled and conjoined with the other villages into a giant mechanoid. He would alter activate and control this unit, broadcasting a warning to everyone about an approaching threat. The cells ignored his pleas and were rather surprised when a similar robot fell from the skies. A battle between the titans began and in the conflict, the larger one destroyed a peak of a Black Spike Mountain. Every lifeform there was killed, including any Rock splinter cells present. Another led by Stronius sought to use the chaos to enact vengeance upon the Glatorian for their defeat. One more would steal a piece of golden armor after Teridax blasted it to pieces. Gresh would later defeat their band of Skrall, however, and give it to its intended owner. After the warrior of fire unleashed an energy wave that destroyed a reptilian horde, Mata Nui would kill Teridax and began the restoration of Shperus Magna. All surviving members of the Rock Tribe either surrendered to the Agori-Matoran alliance or fled into the wilderness. Members of the latter category would hear of a rising syndicate, lead by a shadowy figure. These cells saw this as opprunity to rebuild and joined up with this new faction. Members prior to dissolution Agori *Atakus *Faustal *Metus - Loosely affiliated following his exile from the Ice Tribe *Ranzesk - Formerly *Rojek - Formerly Skrall , a high ranking member of the Skrall.]] Main article; Skrall *Baterra Magnus - Formerly, fused with a Baterra *Branar *Drakzu - Formerly *Greqnohk - Formerly, mutated *Grezer *Illetrii *Jarzek - Formerly *Kelx - Formerly, mutated *Korpo *Mekad - Formerly *Prima - Presumed to be deceased *Sycra *Shezz - Formerly *Skirvex - Formerly *Skovax - Formerly *Stronius *Tervok *Thundus - Formerly *Tuma - Formerly, exiled for his defeat *Verex - Formerly, mutated *Vozniak - Formerly *Zuisakirh Category:Rock Tribe Category:Spherus Magna Category:Tribes Category:Skrall